Mounting device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a mounting device ( 1 ) for mounting a means ( 2 ), preferably a Bowden cable, in or at a boring ( 3 ) or a notch ( 4 ) of a mounting wall ( 5 ) comprising a hollow cylinder ( 6 ) attached to the means ( 2 ) insertable into the boring ( 3 ) or the notch ( 4 ), a locking means ( 8, 9, 10 ) axially movable along the hollow cylinder ( 6 ), and at least one fixing element ( 11 ) provided at the hollow cylinder ( 6 ) which can be radially expanded by the mentioned locking means ( 8, 9, 10 ) to at least partly engage in the expanded position the mounting wall ( 5 ) from behind.

[0001] The invention relates to a mounting device for mounting a Bowden cable to a boring or a notch of a mounting wall comprising a hollow cylinder at at least one end of the Bowden cable insertable through the boring or the notch and a holding flange for mechanical contact with the mounting wall, which is rigidly connected to the hollow cylinder and radially outwardly directed.

[0002] Bowden cables are used in motor vehicles to transmit forces through heavily bent zones. The Bowden cable is at the ends mounted by a mounting device to a mounting angle, a mounting wall or the like, which is arranged in a fixed position. To this end, the mounting wall is provided with a notch or a boring through which a part shaped as a hollow cylinder can be inserted. A collar-like flange is provided at the hollow cylinder supporting the mounting device in one direction. A nut or the like can assure the fixing at the side opposite to the holding flange.

[0003] However, with mounting devices it is difficult to always maintain the correct radial position. The mounting device can easily rotate during assembly so that the assembly becomes difficult. Often the access to the area behind the mounting wall is difficult or even impossible. Further, an access from the side is often difficult or impossible.

[0004] Furthermore, these mounting devices must be designed for high pulling forces. Although there are measures known to facilitate the assembly, these measures, however, always lead to a limitation of the load transmission.

[0005] It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a mounting device according to the generic term of claim 1 which allows on the one hand a high load transmission and which is on the other hand easy to assemble.

[0006] This problem of the invention is solved by the subject-matter of claim 1, whereas advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims.

[0007] It is the core of the invention to operate an expandable fixing element by means of a cap or a similar part provided with an operating element. The expandable fixing element is arranged behind the mounting wall and can therefore engage the mounting wall from behind. The advantage is that an access from behind or from the side is not necessary at all. The mounting device is almost mounted automatically simply by inserting it. By means of the expandable fixing engaging the mounting wall from behind, the mounting device is rigidly connected to the mounting wall and so that it can take up high loads. Thus, the mounting device is in a simple manner easy to assemble and secure without the risk of rotation during assembly. A rotation of the Bowden cable is, for example, undesired, if the pulling cable carries a fixing eyelet which is to be arranged in a certain plane.

[0008] A particularly simple embodiment of the operating element is obtained, if the operating element is an operating mandrel having a conical operating surface. It is particularly advantageous, if a spring element is arranged between the cap and the hollow cylinder and if the cap is in a locking manner arranged at the hollow cylinder, wherein the locking occurs only in the position in which the fixing element is expanded. This allows to recognize immediately whether the mounting device is completely mounted or not. If the mounting device is not completely mounted, the spring or the spring element pushes the cap away from the hollow cylinder. Only in the case that the cap is correctly locked, the cap is not pushed away. Furthermore, the mounting device can by means of the spring element be substantially easier detached without the destruction of components.

[0009] A particularly easy to assemble and reliable construction is obtained, if at least one clip element is integrated in the cap for locking to the hollow cylinder, which is shaped such that it can engage a recess arranged at the hollow cylinder.

[0010] It is preferred, if the fixing element is provided as an expanding ring. Such expanding rings are common and, for example, known under the term Simmering. The easy expansion and a secure mounting are, for example, improved, if ridges directed to the inside, star-like arranged supporting angles or supporting ridges, an ear-shaped section or a centrally arranged zone of weaker material are provided.

[0011] It is also particularly advantageous, if the fixing element is provided as at least one expanding tap, in particular, if the expanding tap is made from a U-shaped recess. Preferably, the tap is provided with an operating projection for expansion, and the operating projection is arranged in such a manner in the cavity of the hollow cylinder that it contacts an operating surface of the operating element. A reduced number of necessary components is thereby obtained. The mounting tap is then part of the hollow cylinder.

[0012] In the following the invention, further advantages of the invention and further features are explained in detail with respect to an embodiment. It shows:

[0013]FIG. 1 a perspective representation of the mounting device;

[0014]FIG. 2 a representation of the mounting wall with a boring;

[0015]FIG. 3 a representation of the mounting wall with a notch;

[0016]FIG. 4 a side view of the mounting device;

[0017]FIG. 5 a cross-section of the mounting device;

[0018]FIG. 6 a representation of the expanding ring with the operating mandrel shown in dashed lines behind;

[0019]FIG. 7 a first embodiment of the expanding ring;

[0020]FIG. 8 a second embodiment of the expanding ring;

[0021]FIG. 9 a third embodiment of the expanding ring;

[0022]FIG. 10 a fourth embodiment of the expanding ring;

[0023]FIG. 11 a cross-section of another embodiment of the mounting device;

[0024]FIG. 12 a representation of a first embodiment of an expanding tap;

[0025]FIG. 13 a further embodiment of an expanding tap; and

[0026]FIG. 14 a cross-section of the embodiment according to FIG. 13.

[0027]FIG. 1 shows the mounting device 1 with the Bowden cable 2 including the interior cable 24. The mounting device 1 is inserted through a boring, as shown in FIG. 2, or a notch, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0028] The mounting device consists, as can easily be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 of a hollow cylinder 6 and a cap 8. The hollow cylinder 6 comprises a slightly smaller diameter than the boring 3 or the notch 4 so that this part can be inserted through the boring 3 or the notch 4. The inserting movement is limited by a umbrella-like radially outwardly directed holding flange 7 which is an integral part of the hollow cylinder 6. The hollow cylinder 6 is at its front end beveled for easier insertion. In the front part of the hollow cylinder there are recesses for receiving a expanding element or an expandable fixing element 11.

[0029] In this embodiment the fixing element 11 is provided as an expanding ring 15. The different embodiments of the expanding ring 15 are shown in the FIGS. 7 to 10.

[0030] The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 comprises ridges 16 directed to the inside. This type of expanding ring is also known under the term Simmering.

[0031] The expanding ring 15 can also comprise star-like arranged supporting angles 17. Four evenly spaced supporting angles are connected to the expanding ring.

[0032] For a reinforcement in axial direction, a tube-like section 19 can be arranged at the expanding ring, as shown in FIG. 9. The embodiment of the expanding ring according to FIG. 9 comprises radially outwardly directed supporting ridges 18.

[0033] A further embodiment of the expanding ring is characterized by a substantially horseshoe-like form having a central area of reduced material 20, i.e., this embodiment has a thinner section.

[0034] The distance between the contact surface of the holding flange directed to the mounting wall 5 and the beginning of the expanding ring 15 corresponds to the thickness of the mounting wall 5.

[0035] As can be clearly seen in FIG. 5, the expanding ring extends in the released state, i.e., when it is not expanded by the operating element 9 into the interior of the hollow cylinder 6. The operating element 9 which is provided as a mounting mandrel with a conical operating surface 10 can expand the fixing element 11. To this end, the operating element 9 must be moved in the direction of the arrow E.

[0036] The operating element 9 is part of the cap 8. The interior diameter of the cap 8 is greater than the outer diameter of the hollow cylinder 6. The Bowden cable 2, i.e., its outer sheath is mounted to the cap 8. The inner cable 24 is guided through the operating element 9. The expanding ring 15 is expanded in the direction of the arrow D, when the operating element 9, that is, the cap 8 is inserted.

[0037] A spring element 12 or a spiral spring is arranged between the hollow cylinder 6 and the cap 8 so that the cap is pushed away, if it is not correctly connected to the hollow cylinder 6. This connection is achieved by a clip element 13 integrated into the cap 8, which engages a recess 14 arranged at the hollow cylinder 6. Further, a second recess 25 is provided for achieving a preliminary position. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the inner cable 24 of the Bowden cable carries at one end a fixing eyelet 26. Since the mounting device 1 is simply inserted, the fixing eyelet 26 remains at the correct position, that is, in the correct angular position.

[0038] The arrows G and F indicate additionally the contact surfaces of the holding flange 7 and the fixing element 11. G indicates the side contacting the holding flange 7.

[0039] The direction of the insertion of the mounting device is indicated in FIG. 4 with the arrow B.

[0040] The FIGS. 11 to 14 show two different embodiments which differ from the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 insofar that two integrated expanding taps 21 are arranged instead of the expanding ring 15. The advantage of this embodiment is that due to the expanding taps 21 an additional part, i. e., the expanding ring, is no longer necessary. Each expanding tap 21 is formed from the material of the hollow cylinder 6.

[0041] In the embodiment shown in the FIGS. 11 and 12 the expanding tap 21 is formed by a U-shaped cut 22 wherein the beginning and the end of the cut are arranged close to the insertion beveling of the hollow cylinder 6 and wherein the expanding tap 21 is directed to the holding flange 7. In order to expand the expanding tap 21 or the expanding taps 21, operating projections 23 are arranged inside the hollow cylinder so that the expanding taps 21 can be pushed outwardly when the operating element 9 is inserted.

[0042] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 the expanding tap is arranged in the exactly reversed manner. It indicates the direction of insertion. The expanding tap 21 of the embodiment according to the FIGS. 13 and 14 engages the mounting wall less from behind at its rear surface but more at its edge.

[0043] The present invention is not limited to the shown embodiments but also comprises embodiments with other operating elements, other fixing elements or another shape of the hollow cylinder. For example, the hollow cylinder 6 must not be exactly cylindrical. The fixing element 11 must not be elastical itself. It can, for example, be expandable by means of additional spring elements. List of reference numbers  1 mounting device  2 Bowden cable  3 boring  4 notch  5 mounting wall  6 hollow cylinder  7 holding flange  8 cap  9 operating element 10 operating surface 11 fixing element 12 spring element 13 clip element 14 recess 15 expanding ring 16 ridges 17 supporting angles 18 supporting ridges 19 section 20 zone of reduced material 21 expanding tap 22 U-shaped cut 23 operating projection 24 inner cable of the Bowden cable 25 second recess 26 fixing eyelet 

1. Mounting device (1) for mounting a means (2), preferably a Bowden cable, in or at a boring (3) or a notch (4) of a mounting wall (5) with a hollow cylinder (6) attached to the means (2) insertable into the boring (3) or the notch (4), characterized by a. a locking means (8, 9, 10) axially movable along the hollow cylinder (6); and b. at least one fixing element (11) provided at the hollow cylinder (6) which can be radially expanded by said locking means (8, 9, 10) to at least partly engage in the expanded position the mounting wall (5) from behind.
 2. Mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollow cylinder (6) comprises an integrated holding flange (7) for contacting the side of the mounting wall, turned away from the fixing element (11) and that said locking means (8, 9, 10) comprises a cap (8), an operating element (9) and an operating surface (10) wherein the expansion of said fixing element (11) is achieved by the operating surface (10) of the operating element (9).
 3. Mounting device according to claim 2, characterized in that the operating element (9) is an operating mandrel (9) having a conical operating surface (10).
 4. Mounting device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a spring element (12) is arranged between the cap (8) and the hollow cylinder (6) and that the cap (8) can be locked to the hollow cylinder (6), wherein the locking occurs only in the position in which the fixing element (11) is expanded.
 5. Mounting device according to claim 4, characterized in that at least on clip element (13) is integrated in the cap (8) for locking to the hollow cylinder (6), which is shaped such that it can engage a recess (14) arranged at the hollow cylinder (6).
 6. Mounting device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the fixing element (11) is an expanding ring (15).
 7. Mounting device according to claim 6, characterized in that the expanding ring comprises ridges (16) directed to the inside.
 8. Mounting device according to one of the claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the expanding ring (15) comprises star-like arranged supporting angles (17) or supporting ridges (18).
 9. Mounting device according to one of the claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the fixing element (11) is provided with at least one tube-like section (19).
 10. Mounting device according to one of the preceding claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the expanding ring (15) is horseshoe-like shaped having a central zone (20) of reduced material.
 11. Mounting device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fixing element (11) is provided as at least one expanding tap (21).
 12. Mounting device according to claim 11, characterized in that the expanding tap (21) is formed from a U-shaped cut (22) on the hollow cylinder (6), that the expanding tap (21) is provided with an operating projection (23) and that the operating projection (23) is such arranged in the cavity of the hollow cylinder that it can contact the operating surface (10) of the operating element (9).
 13. Use of a mounting device according to one of the preceding claims in a motor vehicle. 